Category: Field Notes

Cloudy fog in the mountains. A soft mist falling. A male and female marsh hawks are flying over the fields. The male doesn’t stay long and the female lands in the path and eats bugs out of the grass like a chicken.

Cloudy Elk up on hillside hanging out under the cloudy skies. 3 females. 2:00pm – 25 elk out grazing and laying around. Marsh hawk scanning wetlands.

Foggy 40 f A big brown hawk flies over the lawn. Lots of birds at the very top of the birch tree. One in particular seems to be keeping watch sending out a signal every 10 sec. 20 or more tiny birds flutter between the birch and pear tree.

Huge flocks of migrating birds, maybe in the thousands. Too far know what kind and flying up over the ridge. Elk out in clearing in front of the old tree house. Sunny day. Two female marsh hawks dancing in soaring circles in the sky. The one above let out it’s distinct whistled screech.

I attended a model forest tour at Zena Timber in Rickreal sponsored by the Forest Stewards Guild. The land owners and managers put on a well organized event. Their philosophy and manaement efforts were a great leap forward from a clear-cut and plant tree farm for creating and maintaining natural habitat. Their goal to maintain… Continue reading Field Notes – October 21, 2000

Weather: Sunny, warm, east wind Wetlands: Spray rolled dikes with 1 cup Roundup to 100gal on 6-10-00 Wildlife: Today spotted a Pond Turtle in a flooded barrow across the dike from the from the frog ponds in the WRP (Wetland Reserve Program) site. Plants: Put root divisions of the Aster (Eriophyllum lanatum) Oregon Sunshine into… Continue reading Field Notes – June 16, 2000

Weather: Cloudy cool. Snow on Peavine ridge yesterday. Wetlands: Rains stopped yesterday afternoon and wetlands pools have lowered some. Wildlife: This spring about 6 Pheasant cocks are observed regularly. Most seem to be Ringneck-Sichuan crosses. On April 19 saw about six blue butter flys in the Oak leaves in front of the shop. Caught two… Continue reading Field Notes – May 19, 2000

Weather: Rainy and cool. Wetlands: Cool rainy spell for about 4 days has caused the upper wetlands to begin filling again. The riparian wetlands remain full. A few Mallard ducks remain and may be nesting on the farm. Foraging Tree swallows are very numerous over the wetlands. Wildlife: Saw 18 Elk, calves, yearlings, and bulls… Continue reading Field Notes – May 12, 2000

Wildlife: 24 Elk sighted on the farm for two days 4-17 & 18. Mostly calves and yearlings. One older lead cow. Bulls were in velvet. Barn Swallows arrived 4-20-00. Groups of Tree and barn Swallows are flying over the wetlands today. Small Pollywogs are visible in the frog ponds. In the series of upland ponds the… Continue reading Field Notes – April 23, 2000

Outreach & Preservation: We have completed the process of protecting 117 acres with a conservation easement with the USDA Wetland Reserve Program. This will insure that the area remains a wetland and includes a management goal of enhancing natural life habitat of the site. The easement was purchased and funds are available for improvements. The site… Continue reading Field Notes – Summary 1999